


Actaeon and Diana

by MistressPeverell



Category: Metamorphoses - Ovid
Genre: Amnesia, F/M, Gun Violence, Magic, Revenge, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:41:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23770258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressPeverell/pseuds/MistressPeverell
Summary: A rewrite, as a play, of the myth of "Actaeon and Diana" from Ovid's "Metamorphoses". What if the myth was set in the 21st century? What if someone had looked deeper into Actaeon's disappearence? Diana's arrogance becomes her undoing when a desperate widow seeks vengeance.





	Actaeon and Diana

**Author's Note:**

> **Character List**  
>  Diana - Roman goddess of the hunt  
> Nephele - nymph, Diana's attendant  
> Rhanis - nymph, Diana's attendant  
> Hyale - nymph, Diana's attendant  
> Pescas - nymph, Diana's attendant  
> Phiale - nymph, Diana's attendant  
> Police Officer - modern version of Actaeon  
> Rabbit - Police Officer after he's cursed  
> Woman - the Police Officer's wife

_It's night time. The reflection of the full moon shines brightly in the water of the pond. The green leaves rustle in the wind._

**_Enter DIANA and her nymphs_ **

_/DIANA and her nymphs appear in a flash of light near a bench. Quickly, the nymphs divest the goddess of her clothes. They all bath and splash around in the water, laughter fills the air/_

NEPHELE : (nervously looking around) My lady, are you sure this is wise?

DIANA : (eyes closed, head tilted backwards so HYALE can wash her hair) Whatever do you mean, my dear Nephele?

NEPHELE : (arms crossed over her breasts, head turning every which way) Lord Jove will be angered that we left Olympus without permission.

DIANA : (scoffing, gestures HYALE to leave her be) Permission? I am a goddess, I do not need permission.

RHANIS : (stops splashing PESCAS and PHIALE, turns towards her Lady) He is our King and your Lord Father. His word is law.

DIANA : (grinning at RHANIS) And yet, you followed me.

RHANIS : You are our Lady. We obey you first and foremost.

/PESCAS and PHIALE nod in agreement/

DIANA : (smiling kindly at the three of them) I thank you for your loyalty.

HYALE : (laughing) There is no need to thank us, just protect us from the King's wrath, my Lady. He will show you, his beloved daughter, mercy. He will not do the same for us.

_/They all laugh, except NEPHELE. She still looks around, scared/_

NEPHELE : It is not the King's wrath that scares me. I heard rumours, my Lady. Rumours that the humans can see everything that happens on their planet. They do not have to be there to know what happens.

DIANA : (laughs incredulously) You expect me to believe they have become omniscient? (voice raising) That those vermin have achieved what even gods cannot? (a deep breath) Relax, Nephele, Mercury was playing you again. (turns away from Nephele) Stop being so impressionable.

_/DIANA and the nymphs go back to playing with the water. Laughter fills the air again/_

NEPHELE : (whispering) It was not Lord Mercury. Oh, Lady Minerva, may you be mistaken this time.

_/Stage goes dark. Silence falls/_

_**Exit DIANA and her attendants** _

* * *

**_Enter POLICE OFFICER_ **

_A flashlight shines in the darkness. A POLICE OFFICER patrols the park._

_/DIANA and the NYMPHS laughing in the distance/_

POLICE OFFICER : (loudly) Who's there? (carefully walks forward)

_/Laughter gets louder. The POLICE OFFICER keeps walking ahead/_

**_Enter DIANA and her nymphs_ **

_/Light shines from up ahead, he turns off the flashlight. Hides behind a tree, hand ready to grab the gun from its holster/_

POLICE OFFICER : (slowly looking at the pond from behind the tree, sees the girls and jumps back) What the hell? (he takes another step back, twig snaps)

_/Laughter stops/_

DIANA : (turns towards the noise, angrily asks) Who's there?

_/POLICE OFFICER steps forward, hand still on his holster. He leaves the treeline; his other hand comes up to show his badge/_

POLICE OFFICER : New York Police Department, ma'am. You and your friends are committing the crime of indecent exposure. I would like you to please put your clothes back on and follow me to the station.

PHIALE : (scoffs) You are committing a crime, mortal. For such a filthy being to gaze upon the goddess Diana is an intolerable offense.

_/DIANA throws water at the officer, he doesn't even blink/_

POLICE OFFICER : Now, ma'am, I will turn around …

_/The POLICE OFFICER grunts in pain and falls down, hidden by the bushes and trees/_

**_Exit POLICE OFFICER_ **

_/A RABBIT pops out from where the POLICE OFFICER fell, he hops towards the pond/_

DIANA : Let us leave, my dears. That mortal has put me in a foul mood.

_/A flash of light and then dark/_

**_Exit DIANA and her nymphs_ **

* * *

_**Enter WOMAN** _

_A WOMAN sits curved towards a computer, frantically typing on the keyboard. She looks half mad._

WOMAN : (stops typing) I found you, bitch.

_/She grabs a coat and puts it on. Opens a drawer and takes out a gun. Looks at it then puts it in her pocket and runs out. The cup beside the computer topples and falls. It shatters/_

**_Exit WOMAN_ **

* * *

_It's night time. The reflection of the full moon shines brightly in the water of the pond. Female laughter in the air. The sound of snow crunching underfoot._

**_Enter WOMAN_ **

_/The WOMAN walks, uncaring of the noise. Twig snaps/_

**_Enter DIANA and her nymphs_ **

PESCAS : (loudly) Who's there?

WOMAN : (calmly walks towards the pond, head bowed) It is me, a humble servant.

DIANA : Whom do you serve? (loudly) Speak!

WOMAN : (reverently, head bowed even farther, hands in her pockets) Oh, Lady Diana, goddess of the moon. I am not worthy of being in your presence.

_/The WOMAN takes a big step forward and falls to her knees. She's at the edge of the pond. DIANA swims closer/_

DIANA : (amused) You are right, you are not worthy. So why do you present yourself before me?

WOMAN : I come bearing a gift for you, my Lady. To show my devotion.

PHIALE : (angrily) You think anything you have is worthy…

DIANA : (gestures for her to stop speaking) Calm yourself, Phiale. Let her show us what she holds.

WOMAN : (raises her hand) I bring you a weapon, oh, divine huntress. May it serve you well.

_/She slowly takes the gun out of her pocket. Finger on the trigger, muzzle pointed at DIANA/_

DIANA : (curious) Oh? (swims closer to take a better look) I have never seen something like it.

_/Quickly, the WOMAN unlocks the safety on the gun, aims at DIANA and pulls the trigger. DIANA falls back into the water in a spray of blood. The nymphs scream in fear/_

RHANIS : (screams) My Lady!

PHIALE : (furious) You little…! (arms extended, hands like claws to strangle the WOMAN) What have you done to our Lady?!

_/The WOMAN cocks the gun and pulls the trigger. PHIALE falls backwards beside the floating body of DIANA and disappears in a shower of leaves/_

**_Exit PHIALE_ **

_/The nymphs stop screaming and huddle together, terrified/_

WOMAN : (points the gun at the nymphs, growls) If you don't want to be next, leave.

_/Nymphs scream and swim to the opposite side of the pond. They rush out of the water and run to the safety of the forest/_

**_Exit PESCAS and RHANIS_ **

_/HYALES turns back to look at the WOMAN/_

HYALES : (hisses) Lord Jove will have your head for this.

_/HYALES disappears amongst the trees/_

**_Exit HYALES_ **

_/The WOMAN is still on her knees/_

WOMAN : (laughs darkly) I don't care. I have nothing left to live for anyway. (wipes tears from her eyes and stands up slowly, trembling. Walks towards the water and stares at DIANA's body) This is all your fault. You killed my husband and for what? Doing his job? (she spits on her, hisses) May you rest in hell, bitch.

_/The WOMAN walks away/_

**_Exit WOMAN_ **

_Time passes._

_/DIANA pulls up in the water, gasping for air. She swims to the bank and leaves the water; her arms are trembling. She sits, feet in the water, staring at her hands. She looks around, sees clothes on the nearby bench. Her legs tremble when she stands. She dresses quietly/_

**_Enter RABBIT_ **

_/There's a rustle in the bushes, a RABBIT hops out/_

DIANA : (kneels on the ground, hand extended towards the RABBIT) Hi, little one.

_/The RABBIT hops closer, sniffs her hand. Carefully, DIANA picks him up and stands/_

DIANA : (she pets the RABBIT and croons) What are you doing here? (she looks around) What am I doing here? (she stares at the full moon in the sky) Who am I?

**_Exit DIANA and RABBIT_ **


End file.
